A SEARCH is underway following the disappearance of a submarine that takes tourists on tours of the Titanic.
Rescue crews have begun a desperate search of the Atlantic Ocean in a bid to find the vessel, which is used for tours of the spot where the Titanic sank.
It is unclear how many people – if any – were on board, reports the BBC.
The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage to New York on April 14, 1912, after hitting an iceberg – and has been seen as one of history's major nautical disasters ever since.
Follow our missing Titanic submarine blog for updates...
- By Henry Moore
MoD releases statement as UK 'on standby' to help
The UK said its experts were on standby to help but had not been approached.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “As the host nation for Nato’s multinational submarine rescue capability, we continue to monitor the incident in the North Atlantic and will guide and assist in any response activity as appropriate.”
Initial reports suggest the tourist sub had disappeared in water far deeper than the rescue submarines can operate.
The Nato Submarine Rescue System is made of two main parts.
A remotely operated vehicle can dive to around 1000 metres and provide emergency life support to a stricken submarine.
A larger, free-swimming Submarine Rescue Vehicle can only reach 610 metres.
It can mate with the stricken submarine and prepare to transfer passengers under pressure to the surface.
The system is based at HM Naval Base Clyde and "can respond to a stricken submarine in rescuable water".
- By Henry Moore
In pictures: Where could the missing submarine be?
- By Henry Moore
Chances of rescue 'bleak', says Royal Navy source
A Royal Navy source said they were monitoring the situation but that prospects of a rescue were bleak as the wreck is 3,800m deep.
The source said: "Opportunities and capabilities in that depth of water are few and far between."
Britain, France and Norway run Nato's global submarine rescue service, but it can only dive to 610m.
The Nato submarine rescue system is fully "air portable" and can be loaded onto a mothership in a port closest to the sub in distress.
- By Henry Moore
What happened to the Titanic?
While we’ll never have perfect answers, this much we know.
Just before midnight on April 14, the Titanic failed to change course after hitting an iceberg.
Because the compartments in the Titanic filled with water, the bow began to sink, and the stern raised almost vertically.
Then the Titanic broke in half.
At around 2.20am on April 15, the stern and bow sank to the depths of the ocean floor.
- By Henry Moore
What has the submarine company said?
A spokesman for OceanGate said: "We are exploring and mobilising all options to bring the crew back safely.
"Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families."
- By Henry Moore
Where was the Titanic built?
Work began on the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) Titanic in 1909 at a shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
It was one of three ships being built by Harland & Wolff and White Star Line in one their three dry docks.
The Thompson Dock – the largest of the three – was designed to accommodate the Titanic, and it is still open to visitors today.
It was built so workers could easily move around the outside of a ship without any water.
At the time, the Titanic was the largest passenger liner the world had ever seen.
Architect Alexander Carlisle was behind its design.
- By Henry Moore
Missing submarine can hold up to five people, reports claim
The submarine currently missing near the wreck of the Titanic can hold hope to five people, reports claim.
"Titan is the only five-person sub capable of going to the Titanic depth, which is half the depth of the ocean," company CEO Stockton Rush told CBS, reports the Mail.
"There's no switches and things to bump into, we have one button to turn it on.
"Everything else is done with touch screens and computers, and so you really become part of the vehicle and everybody gets to know everyone pretty well.'"
- By Henry Moore
Titanic tourist sub goes MISSING sparking frantic search mission as submersible for viewing wreck vanishes in Atlantic
A submarine used to take tourists to see the wreckage of the Titanic has vanished.
Rescue crews are frantically searching the Atlantic Ocean after the vessel disappeared.
It is unclear how many people – if any – were on board, reports the BBC.
- By Henry Moore
How long did it take to build the Titanic?
The British luxury passenger liner took under three years to construct, costing around £1.5million – equating to about £170million today.
Thousands of workers were involved in the project, with some 14,000 men employed during the peak of construction.
The frame was fully formed in just over a year, with the shell plating finished shortly afterwards.
The "practically unsinkable" steamship was released from its dry dock in 1911 and work on the interior began.
Just eight days before its maiden voyage, it was declared seaworthy.
- By Henry Moore
What do we know about the missing submarine?
So far, all we know is that a commercial submarine has gone missing near the site of the Titanic's wreck.
We do not yet know about many people are on board.
This vessel undertakes multiple trips per day and takes tourists and experts to explore the doomed ship.
These trips can cost thousands of pounds.
- By Henry Moore
Where did the Titanic set sail from?
The Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912.
It was due to arrive in New York City, United States, on April 17, but never made it.
Five days into the journey, the ship hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank a short time later.
More than 1,500 of the 2,224 people on board were killed.
- By Henry Moore
How much does it cost to tour the Titanic?
Occasionally, small subs are booked by paying tourists to visit the submerged vessel, which is underwater around 600km off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
It's understood trips can cost more than £90,000 to see the ruins of the boat.
- By Henry Moore
How long did it take to build the Titanic?
The British luxury passenger liner took under three years to construct, costing around £1.5million – equating to about £170million today.
Thousands of workers were involved in the project, with some 14,000 men employed during the peak of construction.
The frame was fully formed in just over a year, with the shell plating finished shortly afterwards.
The "practically unsinkable" steamship was released from its dry dock in 1911 and work on the interior began.
Just eight days before its maiden voyage, it was declared seaworthy.
- By Henry Moore
How do I find the Titanic on Google Maps?
Google Maps coordinates let any web user see the exact spot where the tragedy occurred, revealing just how close the Titanic was to its final destination.
To find the Titanic's grave site, do the following:
- Head to Google Maps or Google Earth
- Type in the following coordinates: 41.7325° N, 49.9469° W
- Explore the area where the iceberg was when the Titanic struck
The exact sinking site is 13.2 miles away from the inaccurate coordinates given by the Titanic's radio operators on the night of her sinking.
After the Titanic cracked in half, the bow and stern sections split from each other, now laying around a third of a mile apart.
- By Henry Moore
How many people died on the Titanic?
The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage to New York on April 14, 1912, after hitting an iceberg.
More than 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers and crew onboard were killed.
The wreckage of the doomed ship sits 12,400 feet beneath sea level in dark and icy waters in the North Atlantic Ocean.
- By Henry Moore
Operation underway to find missing submarine
The Boston Coast Guard has told the BBC that a full search is underway for a missing submarine that takes tourists to see the Titanic.
It is unknown how many people were on board.
- By Henry Moore
What happened to the Titanic?
While we'll never have perfect answers, this much we know.
Just before midnight on April 14, the Titanic failed to change course after hitting an iceberg.
Because the compartments in the Titanic filled with water, the bow began to sink, and the stern raised almost vertically.
Then the Titanic broke in half.
At around 2.20am on April 15, the stern and bow sank to the depths of the ocean floor.
- By Henry Moore
Titanic tourist sub goes MISSING sparking frantic search mission as submersible for viewing wreck vanishes in Atlantic
A submarine used to take tourists to see the wreckage of the Titanic has vanished.
Rescue crews are frantically searching the Atlantic Ocean after the vessel disappeared.
It is unclear how many people – if any – were on board, reports the BBC.
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